Cigarette lighter



N0V 7, 1950 w. REGELMANN ETAL 2,529,104

CIGARETTE LIGHTER Filed April 19, `1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 x INVENToRs l/l//LL/AM EETEL/MHA/A/ fr Nov. 7, 1950 w. REGELMANN ETAL 2,529,104

CIGARETTE LIGHTER Filed April 19, 1948 .A 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 7, 1950 UNITEof-SYTATES PATENT OFFICE CIGARETTE LIGHTER William Regelmann and Elizabeth Regelmann,

" Cranston, R. I.

Application April 19, 1948, Serial No. 21,776v

' (C1. zii-7.1)

1 Claim. l

Our present invention relates tov pyrophoric cigarette lighters, and more particularly to a novel construction of automatic lighter.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a cigarettel lighter inwhich .the operating mechanism is completely concealed in a housing resembling another objectsuch as a book. i v 1 A further objectv of the" present invention is to .provide a cigarette lighter in which the operating mechanism can be tted into a small restricted space.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cigarette lighterwhich eliminates the conventional cover andl trigger construction and has a minimum number of operating parts.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a cigarette lighter having the above advantages and which is simple in construction and easy and economical to manufacture and assemble. v

With the above and other objects and advantageous features inv View, jour 'invention consists of a novel arrangementfof parts, more fully disclosed in the detailed descriptionfollowing, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and more lparticularly dei-ined in the appended claim. v j

In the drawings, Y 1

Fig. 1 is a perspective view ci a cigarette lighter in closed position embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar View, partially broken away to show the operating mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the lighter in open position; j

'Fig 4 is a similar view, partially broken away to show the operating mechanism; Y

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed section showing the wick and plug construction;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed section showing the catch and release mechanism;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detailedgsection, taken on line 'I-'I of Fig. 6, showing the pyrophoric wheel arrangement; v

Fig. 8 is an enlarged'perspective View of the operating spring; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspectiveview of the.

rack. -v

Cigarette lighters are usually equipped with covers or snuffer arrangements so constructed that pressure on a releasevniechanism or 'trigger will open'the cover or-snuifer and simultaneously produce a spark o-light awick. Such mechanisms are comparatively intricate and require operating room. It has been difficult, therefore, to produce a lighter that is also a' piece of jewelry or combined with another object,` especially for womens Wear.

The present invention iprovides a small, simple, lighter mechanism that eliminates the cover or snuffer and permits the construction of an arti-l cle of jewelry or utility. For purposes of illustration, We have shown the lighter of the presentv invention built into aAhousing shaped to simulate a small book. It will be readily seen thatA the' Ilighterrmechanism can easily be concealed initheV coverhorbase oi a compact, powderrbox, or. n any other-asimilar article or in aY separate housing of diierent design.

Referring more in detail tothe drawingsl trating our invention,l thelighter is mounted in a housing l0, Figs. l and 3, comprising two spaced4 rectangular portions II and I2 connected along one edge by an integral U-bend I3 to simulate the4 covers of a book. To provide strength, body and decoration, each portion II and I2 has a rectangular surface plate I4 and I5 attached thereto. The U-bend I3, which forms the back of the ibook may be provided With a decorative Ystrap I6 soldered thereto near the lower end, the upper strap I'I being vertically slidable to operate the hereinafter catch release as described.

mechanism Adjacent the upper Yedge ofthe portions II and I2 is a top cover portion I8 having arslig'fhtly4 con-` cave portion I9 extending downwardly at the front edge. AThe portions I8 and I9 may be scored to simulate the leaves of a book.

surface of the portion 22 may also be scored so that in closed position, Fig. 1, the' frontiedge` presents an unbroken appearance resembling the leaves of a book. The bottom 23 of the tankV forms the counterpart ofthe upper portion I8 in closed position. The top .of the tank is closed by a plate 24.

To allow room for the operating mechanism, the sides of the tank 20 and the top plate 24 are narrow enough to be spaced from the portions II As shown in Figs. 2- and A, the tank assembly is mounted in the housing I0 by a pivot pin 25 extending through the lower outer corner so that the tank assembly v and I2 of the housing I 0.

can swing outwardly into the position shown in Fig. 4.

A'.plate 2G is mounted on the'top plate 24 hav-1 ing a central integral U-shaped portion forin- 'f ing spaced ears`21 and 28, Figs. 2, 4 and 7, and a tapered .portion 29 having anupturned end 30.

The'abrasive wheel 3|. is rotatably mounted on a pivotpin32 between'the ears 2l and 28 and a coil spring 33 surrounds the pivot pin and urges d against the-flat side of the wheel 3l to yieldingly hold the toothed side of the wheel 3| against the rack 34, Figs. 7 and 9. The rack 34 is xed tc the 3 side ll and is curved so that it will remain in continuous contact with the Wheel 3l during the pivotal movement of the tank 2U. The rack 34 has large teeth 35 each adapted to engage a tooth on the side of the wheel 3l.` When ythe lighter is being closed, the spring 33 permits the wheel 3| to yieldingly ride over the teeth 35 lWithout rotating.

The number of teeth on the Wheel and rack are so arranged that the Wheel will make three quarters of a revolution in opening., This permits the use of a light tensioned spring in vthe tube 36 (dotted lines) to urge the iiint against the Wheel 3l. The result, is less wear on the lint and a multiplicity of small sparks instead of a few heavy sparks.' 1

The tank may be lled with cotton in the conventional manner, if desired. However, we prefer to'use the construction shown in Figs. Y2 and 5. A collar 31 depends from an opening'in the top tank plate 24. The collar 31 has an internally threaded tapered opening 38. A at knurled edge plug 139 yhas an externally'threadejd depending portion 4U which is split, as at 4|." The'wick 42 extends through the plug 39 as shown in Fig. 5. When the tank is full, the plug 9 is threadedjinto the collar 31, the tapered vthread portion 38 pinching the split portion 40 around the wick- 42 to prevent leakage. A washer 43 is positioned between the plug 39 Vand top plate 24 to rfurther seal the opening. This construction provides a combined wick and relling opening in the tank.

The catch release mechanism is shown in detail in Fig. 6. VA slot 44 is provided in the rear edge I3 of the lighter housing l0. The releasing strap I1, which is vertically slidable, has anattached neck portion v45 extending through the slot 4 4. The neck 45 is an integral part of a vertically positioned plate 446 which has a lower cam edge 41 positioned in the path of movement of the upturned end 36 of the plate 26. The cam edge 41 terminates in an labrupt vertical s lot 48' and the plate 43 has upwardly vand downwardly extending portions 49 and 5 0 to retain the parts in sliding vertical position aboutthe slot 44. 45

Above the slot 44, the material is punched in Wardly to form an L' s haped ringer 5I,l the shorter leg extending downwardly, which abuts the end of a vertical coil spring 52, the lower end of the spring surrounding a' pin 53 on the plate 45. e

The operating force to the mechanism is imf parted by an elbow shaped spring 4 slioitmindey tail in Fig. 8 and in position in Figs. 2 and 4, The spring 54 is preferably in one piece having parallel arms 55 connected by the portion 56 and having spaced elbows 51 terminating in spaced parallel arms 58. The spring 54 surmounts the` tank 2B with the portion extending across the top of the plate 26 behind the ears 21 and 28. The elbows 51 pass around the pivot pin 25v and the arms 58 rest against the rear portion |31' of the housing I0.

With the parts positioned as shown inFigs.y lv

and 2, the spring 54 is compressed and theupturned end 3@ of the plate 26 is retained in the slot 48 of the release plate 4 6, the spring 5 2 uitging the plate 46 into downward position. When the catch or strap I1 ispushed .upwardly against the action of the spring 52, the end 38 clears the slot 48 and the elbow spring`54 snaps the tank'y ears 21 and 28 hit the downward portion 9 of the cover plate which acts as a stop. During this movement, the wheel 3l rides on vvthe rack 34 and is given la rapid 2A turn which throws a stream 5 of sparks lighting the wick 42.

ABy pushing inwardly against the portion 22, the spring 54 is again compressed and the end 30 rides under the cam edge 41 until its snaps into the slot 4 8. The llame is snuied by lack of air and the lighter is again ready for action.

' The above construction can readily be built into otherobjectasuch as compacts, as only a small nfat space is necessary for the operating mechanism. The lighter cannot fail to spark l5 because the drive between sparking wheel and rack is direct without''inter'mediate gears o r p latesl, While we have described a specific embodiment of our invention, obviousthat changes may readily be -made'inthe size, shapefand relative arrangement o`f"'parts, "without departing from the spirit and scope"of`the`invntionas dened in the appended claim.,

-We claim:

A cigarette lighter comprising a housing, said housing having a flat rectangular shape to simulate the appearance .0f e beek., e. .fuel te'nk'pivotally mounted in said lioiisin'g,` a Wick extending from said tank, means vfor Aurging said tank pivotally out of said housing. seid Ineens ,ineluding an elbow spring having anarm ,abutting said housngan arm abutting saidtank, and an intermediate elbow extendng'arleund .the pvetfoi Seid, tank. means for releasablv retaining said 'v tank in position within saidv liousingsaid means 401' adapted to Hengages id slotfand a l'spr-ing- `for yieldingly retaining: said 'plate in 'downward closed position, andmeans for throwing a plu-' rality of sparks to light said wick 'during the outward .pivotal movement of s aidf tank, said means including aplate on'said'f tank having spaced ears, a "sparkingfwheelpf all-y mounted be-A tween said earsjione. facejofsaid wheel having a toothed surface, a fixed rack mounted in said housing in the path of movement of s aid wheel, 'a spring on said wheel pivot for yieldinglyfre-l taininguthe teeth offs'afid rack and wlieel inr operative engagem t and a flint extending from said tankv por onr andY being yieldingly maintained in contact'hwith*thefiindersidel of 5? said wheel. A 4

' 1,627,923y Neviere Mayio 1927 L'lel #Viei'teeea 7 f Y'1383395 Greetitfeie T;- Feb-12., .192@

l256,210 Great Britain realize; 19:27

WiLLIeM 'Y VThe following references arel of .record in theV 

